I saw this movie yesterday, but I had to sleep and cool down before commenting. This is the type of screening where, after the movie, when you go downstairs in screening room, your legs hurt and your body still feels the experience. The most disgusting and the most sexy movie I have ever seen AT THE SAME TIME, what a crazy combination. Guadanino's Challengers meets Cronenberg's Fly. Perfect casting in every role. A wonderful scene when the main character fights with herself while getting ready for a date. Depiction of TV sexualization, but also hypocrisy of its stars and the way they're addicted to this system, they need it for their self-esteem.
Having said all that, a few things keep "The Substance" from being a 10/10 for me: 1. There are literally only 6 films that received the maximum rating from me and to be included in that group, there must be absolutely nothing that bothers me about the film. Even though I can aware of some elements that are not perfect and that many people have problems with, I do not have this problem.
2. Ending. I mean, the last few shots on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the meaning behind them are a miracle, but the New Year's Eve party is not. I try to look at it metaphorically and I appreciate the attempt, but in a literal sense it's a bit too much.
3. Simple metaphors, which I generally have no problem with and it works very well here, but such simplicity has its limitations and you can't achieve perfection this way in my opinion.
4. The plot is very simple and predictable. It works through great story telling, but well, here we come back to the limitations of simplicity. These limitations could only be overcome if the movie had great personal meaning for me and I don't feel it here. The surprises in this film were only in form, never in content.
In the end, even though it has some flaws, it's probably my movie of the year. Extreme and unique movie experience.
Having said all that, a few things keep "The Substance" from being a 10/10 for me: 1. There are literally only 6 films that received the maximum rating from me and to be included in that group, there must be absolutely nothing that bothers me about the film. Even though I can aware of some elements that are not perfect and that many people have problems with, I do not have this problem.
2. Ending. I mean, the last few shots on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the meaning behind them are a miracle, but the New Year's Eve party is not. I try to look at it metaphorically and I appreciate the attempt, but in a literal sense it's a bit too much.
3. Simple metaphors, which I generally have no problem with and it works very well here, but such simplicity has its limitations and you can't achieve perfection this way in my opinion.
4. The plot is very simple and predictable. It works through great story telling, but well, here we come back to the limitations of simplicity. These limitations could only be overcome if the movie had great personal meaning for me and I don't feel it here. The surprises in this film were only in form, never in content.
In the end, even though it has some flaws, it's probably my movie of the year. Extreme and unique movie experience.